Internet Delivers Brutal Counterpunch After PETA Uses Steve Irwin's Birthday to Attack the 'Crocodile Hunter'
For a few short hours last week, most of the internet came together to acknowledge one universal truth: The people at PETA are pretty reprehensible human beings.
It isn’t as if most of us didn’t know this, but it needed to be said — particularly after the “animal rights” (really not the right words) organization decided to use a posthumous Google doodle
Thursday as a way to attack the late zookeeper and “Crocodile Hunter” host Steve Irwin.
Celebrating what would have been Irwin’s 57th birthday seemed unassailable to most. Take a look and see for yourself:
Crickey! Google honours Steve Irwin with a Google Doodle drawing https://t.co/zbAp7F3z0m pic.twitter.com/PQomHq8pU0
— Ausdroid Tech News (@Ausdroid) February 21, 2019
Even if you were a radical environmentalist, you may have thought that this would have been one to sit out.
PETA, being PETA, well, didn’t.
#SteveIrwin was killed while harassing a ray; he dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile & wrestled wild animals who were minding their own business. Today’s #GoogleDoodle sends a dangerous, fawning message. Wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats. https://t.co/9JfJiBhGLw
— PETA (@peta) February 22, 2019
Oh, and it got better, assuming you enjoy digital trainwrecks like I do:
Steve Irwin’s actions were not on target with his supposed message of protecting wildlife. A real wildlife expert & someone who respects animals for the individuals they are leaves them to their own business in their natural homes.
— PETA (@peta) February 23, 2019
It is harassment to drag exotic animals, including babies taken from their mothers, around from TV talk shows to conferences & force them to perform as Steve Irwin did. Animals deserve to live as they want to, not as humans demand––the #GoogleDoodle should represent that.
— PETA (@peta) February 23, 2019
Keep in mind that Irwin was an experienced zookeeper, not just some drunk yahoo who was dangling his kid near dangerous animals. As for the the rest of his work, it was in keeping with Irwin’s vocation as a conservationist, something that PETA clearly doesn’t understand since the group thinks zoos represent some sort of abomination against God and nature.
Even if this is your position — and most of us would consider it quite indefensible — why would PETA choose this as the place to plant their flag? If the answer to that was to make the most number of people hate them in the shortest amount of time, well, mission accomplished.
Steve Irwin saved the lives of countless animals in his sanctuaries. He helped educate millions globally about animals’ needs and ways of life. He loved animals and cared for them greatly. You do some good work helping animals PETA, but how about some balance and more respect… https://t.co/olpLCvKepN
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) February 22, 2019
Steve Irwin taught me more about animals than PETA. He also you know, protected them and took them places to keep them safe.
— Nathan Martin (@Editwithmouse) February 22, 2019
Damn @peta shame on you. He raised millions in animal charities. Taught a lot of people about wildlife in a non aggressive way and also has a foundation where he did and his family continues to save injured, endangered or threatened animals. Terrible tweet from you guys. https://t.co/rIF7917pU0
— PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) February 23, 2019
Steve Irwin and his family reclaim land for animals and run a massive wildlife rescue. His life mission was to save animals and educate people about them. I’m one of many vegetarians who rip out their hair when @peta weighs in. Shame on you. https://t.co/m4fdNymjao
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) February 23, 2019
— Sketchy Kay (@Glasses2themax) February 23, 2019
Where is your habitat for saving animals? You have a wildlife preserve anywhere? Do you have 1,000’s of acres preserving animals from extinction?
Steve Irwin spent his whole life wanting to save animals. Ya’ll are becoming “progressively” pathetic.
What a croc.
— Kambree Kawahine Koa (@KamVTV) February 23, 2019
And perhaps the best summation came from this user:
Whenever Steve Irwin is brought up I’m always reminded of this tumblr post, because Steve literally would do this. pic.twitter.com/IkKdz0rUZk
— corniellius (@corniellius) February 23, 2019
Indeed. While we may no longer have Steve Irwin, we’re left with PETA.
There’s no justice upon this cold, hard earth.
It’s not even worth attacking the message that this tweet sends, which is prima facie obnoxious. In what universe did anyone at PETA think this line of thinking was going to win friends and influence others?
Who among us was going to see these tweets and think to themselves, “You know what really won me over to animal rights extremism? That time PETA used their social media to attack an honor given to a dead guy on his birthday. Man, the fact that it must have made his family feel so awful was just perfect.”
That almost nobody — liberal or conservative — came to PETA’s defense should have told the organization how indefensible this all was.
PETA will always be an outlier in the cultural debate for reasons like this, but that doesn’t make these tweets any less reprehensible. At least Twitter united, for one brief moment, to let the group know how awful it really is.
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